


It is Rather, Strange

by IronLlama



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Insecurity, Light Angst, M/M, Ugly Holiday Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronLlama/pseuds/IronLlama
Summary: Stephen has a guilty pleasure that he enjoys being able to indulge in during the Christmas season. He keeps it a secret from mostly everybody, afraid of their reaction. It would be just his luck that Tony decides to randomly drop by the sanctum unannounced.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	It is Rather, Strange

Ugly Christmas sweaters.

Everyone mocks and laughs at them for their over the top, goofy designs. From big reindeer heads with jingly bells and a red, light up nose to snowmen with their fabric stick arms that stick out alongside their cotton coal buttons and orange carrot nose. The most gaudy of them all those ones with lights that go all around the torso and light up bright green and red, turning the wearer into a walking street light.

Stephen loves them.

They were always soft and warm, perfect for the chilled winter air. Their designs, while goofy yes, were always something fun that could brighten his day and put a smile on his face. He would absent mindedly fiddle with the bells and loose fabric as he read his books and never ceased to grin like a dork when he saw himself in a mirror. The colorful sweaters always a great contrast to his usual dark attire. Despite what others may say, their designs were heartwarming and adorable in the sorcerer's eyes.

He had grown a rather large collection back before his accident, but sold or discarded them along with everything else. It wasn't until recent that he began collecting again. His work with the Avengers now providing him a steady enough income to be able to put some aside for himself and indulge every now and again. A surprise that had been when Tony handed him his first check. A perk of working alongside them that he hadn't been informed of prior, but welcomed nonetheless.

It was still a small collection for now, but it didn't stop him from swapping them out daily. Monday had been a Santa with thin legs and arms that dangled and swayed as he walked around the sanctum. Tuesday a Christmas tree complete with red garlands and gold, jingly ornaments that wrapped around his torso. That one had managed to drive Wong insane, the other sorcerer demanding that Stephen remain on a different floor and banning him from the library for the remainder of the day. Stephen had done nothing more than roll his eyes as he kept himself busy downstairs. Wong was one of two people currently in his life that knew of the man's guilty pleasure.

It wasn't common for people to actually like the sweaters the same way he did. People would wear them to Christmas parties for laughs and perhaps for those 'cringy' holiday cards, but never in the way one would casually wear an ordinary sweater. They weren't meant to be anything more than a source of laughs. He knew this well enough and kept his love for the apparel mainly to himself, only wearing them around the privacy of the sanctum.

He made the mistake once of wearing one out in public, of letting his fondness for them be known. Never again. People tend to care deeply about the image of those with whom they associate themselves with, especially the upper-class as he had harshly learned. The mockery they made of him was enough to lose the respect of some few people with whom he once had good standings with. Stephen wouldn't dare risk ruining his image and reputation again. Not when the respect of his team depended on it.

Despite his desire to keep it a secret, he knew it would be inevitable for Wong to find out. The man lived with him at the sanctum after all. Stephen decided it best to not even bother trying and simply walked downstairs one day decked in one of the most gaudiest of sweaters. His attempt at ripping the band aid off. Wong had simply looked Stephen over before rolling his eyes, informing him that he was never going to wear one. From then on his only reactions came when the sweaters were a nuisance to his studies and concentration. Never about Stephen wearing them.

The cloak of course was the second one to know about them. Stephen hadn't once felt any reluctance towards allowing the cloak to see him. Unlike most humans, the cloak wasn't very judgmental of how he dressed. It actually turned out to be rather fond of his sweaters, often batting at and playing with the loose and jingly bits much like you'd expect from a cat. The cloak's playfulness only helped to make him feel cheerier when wearing them.

The one he had on today, Wednesday, was his favorite. It was rather tame compared to some of his others. A grey sweater with a bunch of little, white snowflakes printed all over with one giant snowflake dominating the chest. The large snowflake was lined with small, white and gold lights that lit up and pulsed based on sound and vibrations. He would always put on some music with a decent bass when he wore it and enjoyed watching the small, private light show. He was currently enjoying one such show on the couch in the foyer when the front doors to the sanctum swung open without warning and Tony waltzed in.

Stephen felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"Stephen! It's great that you're here, I need your help with-ah-" Tony froze as he watched Stephen's sweater light up in rhythm with PotF's Revolution Roulette-"your sweater's lighting up."

Stephen wasn't sure how to respond to that, if he even could. Of all people that Stephen had wanted to keep this a secret from, Tony had been the one in which he was certain he would rather die than ever allow to find out. He'd worked hard to earn the man's respect and even harder to earn his friendship, something that was quite difficult to gain after the events of the civil war, as the media had come to call it. His use of magic and Tony's weariness of it hadn't helped, but by some miracle they had pushed past that. Tony no longer batting an eye when Stephen performed his spells.

The only thing he hadn't earned yet was the man's affection. Something he came to long for rather deeply. Unable to do more than stare in shock and utter humiliation as Tony witnessed his shameful pleasure, Stephen felt any chance he had slipping away. The stoic and refined image he made for himself crumbled away, leaving him defenseless with nothing more than a tasteless sweater that he had no excuse to be wearing so casually. It was ridiculous, childish, and certainly unbefitting of a powerful sorcerer such as himself. He could only wait for the taunting and laughing to start.

"Very interesting. I feel like there's some kind of metaphor here about how bright and unique you are given the whole snowflake deal." Tony grinned as he came closer, eyes leaving the sweater for a brief second to meet Stephen's eyes, "You wear that often?"

"No." Stephen answered sharply, turning away from Tony and quickly turning off the music with a flick of his wrist. The cloak who'd been watching Stephen's reaction attentively flew over and wrapped itself around him protectively, hiding the sweater out of sight. "What did you need Stark?"

"Stark?" Tony's grin fell and quickly turned into a frown, "I know I did not just hear you call me Stark. We are far beyond that I thought."

"What did you need Tony?" He knew he was being unfair, or rather unkind, but that hardly mattered right now. All Stephen wanted was to get the man out of his home before he could dig in any deeper. To save himself from as much humiliation as he could.

Instead of answering the question, Tony walked around the coffee table and sat down beside the sorcerer as he eyed the cloak who bundled up tighter. Stephen shot him a warning glare, but Tony brushed it off with ease. The billionaire very casually leaned back, throwing one leg over the other and folding his arms over his chest. "Does this whole thing with you practically trying to shove me back out the door have anything to do with that twinkling sweater of yours? Cause if so than let me just say that it's actually rather adorable. Nothing to be ashamed of."

Stephen couldn't help, but scoff at that, "Really?"

"Really," Tony gave him a genuine smile, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying a little harmless fun, especially during the happiest time of the year, and if those goofy abominations make you happy then so what? Like I said, it's adorable and you're one of the few people I know who can make **anything** look good when it's hugging your body."

Stephen felt his ears burn at the compliment and not at all subtle wink the billionaire gave afterwards. Was Tony really flirting with him, over his ugly Christmas sweater? The cloak fluttered against him before pulling back and settling onto the arm of the couch, leaving the sorcerer feeling rather exposed and for good reason. With the cloak out of the way, Tony eyed his sweater curiously, "So this one is sound activated right?"

"And vibrations, yes." Stephen smiled shyly as the sweater faintly lit up with every word the two spoke.

The billionaire hummed thoughtfully before grinning mischievously. Stephen felt his breath get caught in his throat as Tony leaned towards him, a hungry glint in his eyes, and whispered breathily in his ear, "Does that include moans?"


End file.
